A recent conviction in a Red River case illustrates the value of affordable electronic surveillance systems to private home and business owners.
Just after 10 p.m. last March 15, a homeowner called dispatch to report a possible burglary. Using a digital surveillance camera, he was able to remotely monitor his house and saw an unfamiliar man inside. Police responded so quickly that the would-be burglar fled empty-handed; he was apprehended the following day, thanks in part to the surveillance video.
Officers quickly discovered that their suspect, Christopher Davis, who was clearly recognizable from the video, had a warrant out of Salt Lake City. Apparently, Davis had a history of larceny, fraud and burglary stretching back at least as far as 2009, when he turned 18.
According to a police report, Davis’ girlfriend said she had been hired by a third party to help clean the Red River home where he was spotted, and where police found drugs and paraphernalia throughout the residence. The vigilance a second homeowner in Red River displayed in protecting his family’s property also helped to protect our community: Davis, a longtime burglar, is currently serving a three-year sentence (with one year suspended) for violating his parole in Utah, and his girlfriend faced felony drug charges for the heroin and methamphetamine she had scattered about a stranger’s home.
The Taos community can be thankful to those who go above and beyond in proactively protecting their homes and neighborhoods: One lesson we can take from this case is that private citizens who invest in measures such as lights, locks and remote monitoring systems make life harder for would-be criminals. Diligence such as this helps to bolster our hardworking police forces and makes us all safer.
Do-it-yourself security systems are becoming more prevalent, easier to use and more affordable by the day. In this case, a simple camera connected to home Internet - along with the quick response of the Red River Marshal’s Office - helped protect a family from being victimized and put a burglar in prison.
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